The Best Man's Role
by MangaManiac6
Summary: Sequel to "Most Beautiful Pain in the World": As the Best Man, he would tell embarrassing stories about Natsume, make sure Koko didn't sneak a bite of cake before the wedding, and to watch over the newlyweds with a smile. Even if it was faked. 3/3 NatsuRuka.


**Summary:** As the Best Man, he would tell embarrassing stories about Natsume, make sure Koko didn't sneak a bite of cake before the wedding, and to watch over the newlyweds with a smile. Even if it was faked. 3/3

**Suggested Song: **Wedding Dress by Taeyang

**Pairings: **One sided NatsuRuka, NatsuMikan, One sided MikaHotaru, One sided KokoSumire

**Genre: **Angst/Romance

**Rated: **T for extremely minor cursing and slash.

**Warning: **There is boy likes boy and girl likes girl. If you don't want to read, than don't.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gakuen Alice or the song, "Wedding Dress"

**The Best Man's Role**

**By: MangaManiac6**

Ruka was staring blankly at the elaborate card he was holding in his pale, small hands. Even as an adult, he had smaller hands than half of the girls he knew. His skin was still pale too. That was what he got for staying hulled up inside all day only going outside to go to his veterinary clinic and back home. And for a minute, he had completely forgotten about these attributes of his body he desperately wanted to change. For an entire minute, only one thought clouded his mind and left him staring stupidly at the folded card.

_Natsume's getting married._

Even without the card of notice, Ruka had known this fact for a long time. It was about two years ago that Natsume had swallowed his pride and proposed to Mikan, who immediately accepted. Everyone had been overjoyed. Tsubasa stated over and over again how he had been positive all this time that Natsume would eventually marry Mikan and the girls were squealing over what dresses to wear and that kind of stuff.

But it was still a shock for Ruka to see the hand printed words: "You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of Mikan Sakura and Natsume Hyuuga". He let his finger trace over the name "Natsume Hyuuga." Mikan must have written it. There was so much love in the writing, he could tell.

The phone's chirping ring made Ruka drop the invitation and look up. He crossed his living towards the phone, crushed the talk button with his index finger and said in a testy voice, "Who is it?"

"You don't sound very happy. Got the invitation, right?"

"What? Wait, who is this?"

"Your old buddy Koko! Don't tell me you forgot me?"

"No, of course not. Sorry, Kokoro. I just—"

"Had stuff on your mind?" Koko finished. "And I told you, call me Koko!'

"Yeah, yeah. How did you know I got the invitation?"

"I'm a _mind reader_." Ruka waited for a moment. "Okay, fine. I got mine in the mail and figured you got yours."

"Thought so. So was there any point in you calling?" Ruka wasn't in the mood to deal with the mind reader at the moment.

"I called for some emotional support. Ya know."

"Emotional… What makes you think I need support?"

There was a pause similar to the one Ruka had made a moment ago. "Are you serious?" Koko asked in a skeptical voice.

"Not really. Oh fine, support me." Ruka flopped on to his leather couch as Koko talked. They were sweet words, telling him that things would be okay and that he would find the right person for him one day. If anything, the entire conversation made him feel worse.

"I'm not helping, am I?" Koko finally asked with a depressed, defeated sigh.

"No, you are." Ruka lied.

"I thought I told you I was a mind reader/"

"You can read minds over the phone?"

"…No. But you were never a good lie." Koko conceded.

"I'm- Never mind." Ruka muttered; blushing a bit. He had gotten the same comment from Natsume almost a million times. Just thinking about it made him deflate a bit.

"So are you going?"

Ruka blinked. "To the wedding? Of course."

"Really?" Koko sounded surprised, "Even if—"

"It's still Natsume and Mikan. They're my best friends."

"You're a strong guy, Ruka." Koko said wistfully.

Ruka knew what he meant. About two years ago, Sumire had gotten married to one of their classmates from the high school dorms. Ruka hadn't been particularly close with the guy but he seemed to make Sumire happy which was all, Koko assured him, mattered to him. But on the day of the actual wedding, Koko had dropped out of the position of Best Man on pretense that he had the stomach virus. The truth was Koko couldn't stand to see Sumire standing at the altar, in a wedding dress, standing next to another guy. Ruka could understand and had tried to console Koko on the matter, but Koko still hadn't managed to forgive himself for inconveniencing Sumire.

"I wouldn't say strong. I'll be sobbing like a wreck after the cake."

Koko laughed quietly. "I'll see you next week then."

"Yeah, I'll see you. Make sure to wear something nice. We don't need a Christmas dance incident again."

Koko scoffed. "That—That was completely different! But yeah, okay. No shiny coats."

Ruka heard the click of Koko disconnecting the line and pressed the end call button on his own phone. He leaned back into the cushion, closing his eyes and exhaled shakily as he suppressed a sob. He opened his eyes after a few minutes and saw the clock. It was nine o'clock. That meant he was late for his first appointment.

Ruka was wearing a neat white suit with a black tie. He was carrying a small card in one hand with a congratulations card and a $300 gift card to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. He thought it was a pretty lame gift, but he couldn't buy the matching him-and-her towels. He just couldn't. It seemed Koko had taken care of that anyway.

"Nice suit." Koko said, shoving his gift on a crowded white table while Ruka placed his card in a small box.

"You too. I'm glad you left off the sparkles." Ruka grinned.

Koko growled, "Are you ever gonna let that go?"

Before Ruka could tell Koko that he would only forget about the incident in his dreams, he felt a smack to his back that made him let out a gasp of pain. "N- Natsume?"

Natsume was dressed in an Italian suit that fit him just right. He was smiling, practically beaming at Ruka and Koko. "Hey guys. Thanks for coming."

Koko looked almost astonished as if he had been the one to get a smack on the back. "Yes, and can you tell me what you have done with the real Natsume Hyuuga?"

Natsume's characteristic frown slipped on to his handsome features. "I can't smile at my own goddamn wedding?"

Ruka laughed. "Of course you can. Congrats, by the way." He ruffled his best friend's raven locks for emphasis.

"Yeah! Congrats Natsu—" Koko had made an attempt at the same gesture but received a sudden burst of fire at the seat of his pants. Koko ran to find a bucket of water while Natsume and Ruka laughed at their friend.

"You never change, Natsume." Ruka said, smiling, and this time, he was really smiling.

"Neither have you." Natsume grinned. He looked down at an expensive looking watch on his wrist. "Oh, better get going. You know what to do, right?"

Ruka nodded. "Of course. Put some trust in me."

Natsume's grin widened slightly. "Yes, yes, sorry. Okay, see you in a bit." And he disappeared in a crowd of people heading to the chapel.

Ruka himself waited until all the guests were inside before going towards the chapel door. There he was greeted by Mikan and the gang.

"Okay, Mr. Nogi and Ms. Imai stand here please." An attendant called, pulling the blond and raven haired together at the front of the door.

Ruka looked cautiously at Hotaru. They had been good friends for the last couple of years but he was still a bit weary of her. She turned to him and gave him a stern look. "Well, what are you waiting for Nogi?" She snapped.

Ruka held out his harm which Hotaru took grudgingly. "You don't seem too happy."

Hotaru sighed, "Of course I'm happy. This is Mikan's wedding; even if it is to that Natsume. But I was working late last night and I'm tired."

Ruka said encouragingly, "Hold on a bit longer, Hotaru. The wedding shouldn't take too much longer."

"If that priest knows what's good for him, it will be." Hotaru grumbled.

They stood in awkward silence while the others behind them assembled in line. "Ruka…?"

Ruka blinked. For a minute, he wasn't sure he heard right. He couldn't remember the last time she had called him by his first name. Had there even been a first time? "Y- Yes?" He stammered in surprise.

"You like Hyuuga, do you not?"

Ruka stared. How did she always know everything? "I… Uh… I…"

"You're so obvious." Hotaru chided.

The blond huffed, "Well, excuse me for being obvious."

"You're excused." Hotaru said, "But not the point. What are you planning to do?"

"To… Do?" Ruka asked, as if the words she had spoken were foreign to him.

"Yes. What do you plan to do?"

"What do you mean do? There's nothing I can—"

"Wrong Nogi. There is always something you can do."

"But—"

"The priest will ask if anyone disagrees with the marriage. You disagree with the marriage, don't you?"

"Yes… Well… I'm not gonna say anything! I can't disrupt the wedd—"

"Yes you _can_ Nogi. If there's something you have proved it's that you _can _disrupt a wedding."

Ruka knew what she meant by this. A couple years ago, at Sumire's and her husband's wedding, Ruka had barged in just at the kiss because he had ran late. Of course, the incident had been very awkward and he had been trying to sweep it under the rug ever since. "That was a long time ago! And I said I was sorry!"

"No matter." Hotaru hissed, "So what will you do?"

What would Ruka do? He had a chance, a hope, a way of stopping this marriage. He could tell Natsume right now that he loved him and didn't want him to get married. Maybe Natsume would realize at that moment that he wanted to be with Ruka and they would run away together. Ruka laughed at this thought.

"What's so funny?" She asked, squinting at him.

"Nothing." Ruka said quietly.

"So?"

"I… I don't know." Ruka said, staring at his shiny, new shoes which he bought just for the occasion.

"You were always weak, Nogi." She huffed, looking letdown.

"Hotaru?"

"Mm?"

"Why are you trying to help me?"

Hotaru looked at him. There was no emotion in her face. She shrugged. "Mikan deserves someone better than Natsume."

"Like you?" Ruka asked. He wasn't even sure what made him say it. But the blush that covered Hotaru's face was enough to prove it.

Oh.

"Shut up." She spat before looking in front of her. "Focus, the wedding's about to start."

The wedding began. The doors opened and he went out, Hotaru's arm supported by his, and walked down the aisle. He was followed by the other bridesmaids and bridegrooms, the flower girl, her assistant, and finally Mikan. She was dressed in an elegant white gown. It was sleeveless and she was wearing long white gloves and smiling so much it looked like it hurt.

Hotaru pulled away from Ruka when they got to the altar, which was fine with him, and went to his own seat right next to where Natsume was standing. He couldn't look directly at Natsume. He had to look at the colored glass windows, or the fancy flower bouquets hanging all over, or at the other guests.

The priest went to his perch at the front and opened a small, black book which seemed to be the bible. And after that, Ruka tuned everything out. He didn't hear the priest or Natsume's and Mikan's vows.

_Please don't say "I do"._

"I do."

It felt like a bullet to the heart.

He looked away when Natsume slipped on Mikan's wedding ring on her finger and when Mikan did the same to Natsume. Ruka wasn't sure he could take it. It was all he could from getting up and running out of the room.

"Now," The priest said, looking around at the audience, "Does anyone have a reason why these too should not wed? Speak now or forever hold your peace."

Ruka looked towards the area where the bridesmaids were sitting. Hotaru was looking at him half expectantly. He understood. She wouldn't disrupt Mikan's wedding for anything. But if Ruka were to stop it, take Natsume away, Mikan would be all alone on the altar, needing a shoulder to cry on.

The thought of Mikan made him want to hit himself.

Because even while he knew that, Ruka still wanted to stand up, shout that _he _had a reason why those two shouldn't get married. But he didn't. He couldn't. He couldn't ruin the best day of the both Mikan's and Natsume's lives and let everyone know he was gay. If anything he had to keep that secret. He looked up at the beaming faces of the couple at the altar. "Well," the priest said, closing the book, "Natsume Hyuuga, you may kiss the bride."

And at that, Ruka shut his eyes. He felt an arm go around his shoulder and opened his eyes just the slightest. It was Koko, looking straight forward. "It's okay to cry when you're sad, Ruka." He whispered, not looking at him.

Ruka shut his eyes once more. "I wasn't crying." He lied, because even now, tears were slipping. There were loud cheers and clapping echoing on the walls of the church, but Ruka just ignored it.

His mind went blank and felt numb all over. That was that. Natsume was married to Mikan and there was absolutely nothing he could do about. He hadn't said what he truly felt: that Natsume shouldn't marry Mikan and he would live with it for the rest of his life.

Love was the cause of this. It had been its fault for ten years and the reason Ruka was crying with sadness at his best friend's wedding.

Why had love singled him out anyway? Was it just old, bad luck? Was he cursed? Everything seemed to be falling apart.

He hated this. The fact that he had ever fallen in love with Natsume. The fact that he had told Natsume back when they were twelve but didn't have the courage to stop him now. The fact that he had promised to be their Best Man.

Because as the Best Man, he would tell embarrassing stories about Natsume, make sure Koko didn't sneak a bite of cake before the wedding, and to watch over the newlyweds with a smile; even if that smile was faked.

And he would fulfill that role no matter what it took.

Ruka looked up and locked eyes with Natsume. He was smiling and blushing and he looked absolutely _perfect_. He winked at Ruka who, with all the effort he could muster, smiled and gave him the thumbs up.

"Congratulations, Natsume."

The End


End file.
